N.Z. COLUMN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 December 1942, Page 3

N.Z. COLUMN

ATTACK ON ENEMY’S REAR BRILLIANT MOVEMENT . MUCH DESTRUCTION CAUSED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, December 20. Lieut.-Gsneral Sir Bernard Freyberg, commanded a strong New Zealand column, which, it is now revealed, got round benind Rommel’s rearguard on Wednesday morning, after a journey of almost 600 miles. After completing their brilliant encircling movements the ■ New Zealanders fought a solid battle, destroyed 20 enemy tanks, took 500 prisoners and captured 30 guns. Several hundred vehicles were destroyed and many more damaged. General Freyberg’s column cut off a considerable portion of the panzer army, then British armoured units started following up. The infantry was hampered by hundreds of mines laid by the fleeing Germans. Armoured units were sent into the lead and attacked the enemy rearguard southward of El Agheila. The enemy put up considerable resistance on the causeway running along the coast west of El Agheila but were forced to flee by the solid attacks of the British armoured force. The New Zealanders, _ sweeping north, reached Wadi Matratin, but by then much of the panzer army was already west of them A battle developed, with the New Zealand division out in front and British armoured units coming up in Rommel’s rear. Ihe enemy broke into scattered groups and there was heavy fighting, as the enemy rearguard attempted to break through the New Zealanders and many prisoners were taken and retaken. In some places desperate Germans burst through but those who became entangled in the trap were badly mauled. Our casualties both in men and materials throughout this action weie comparatively light.